TUCSON, Ariz. — Each year more than 3,000 Americans drown, with children at the highest risk. Experts say whether its your child's first time in the pool or if they're a frequent swimmer, drownings can happen to anyone. And unlike what you see in movies drownings are a silent event.
“There is actually very little noise, there's not a lot of splashing because once that patient goes under water they’re just struggling to try to breath and get their nose above the water,” said Rural Metro Battalion Fire Chief John Walka.
Walka says children who have experienced symptoms of drownings can have complications hours later due to inhaling a small amount of water that causes a spasm in the airway.
“That laryngospasm or that gag reflex come about and can be so severe that it can actually cause apnea or a lack of oxygen to the body for a short amount of time,” Walka explained.
Walka says most kids who take in water while swimming spit it out and will not lead to severe complications. However if your child continues to cough or has trouble breathing, they should be taken to the emergency room immediately.
"If any kind of foreign matter goes into your lungs, that can cause problems, you can get really sick and you can even die from that that's actually called pulmonary edema when you do get water in your lungs.”
